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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26309197">Why Don't You Stay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelseaGrumbles/pseuds/KelseaGrumbles'>KelseaGrumbles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Open Heart (Visual Novels)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Suggestive Themes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:01:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,238</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26309197</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelseaGrumbles/pseuds/KelseaGrumbles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
      <p>This was a little ficlet request with the following prompts:</p><p>23. Taking a picture together to print and hang later.</p>
    </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bryce Lahela/Main Character (Open Heart)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Why Don't You Stay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was a little ficlet request with the following prompts:</p><p>23. Taking a picture together to print and hang later.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You know, Bryce. If you had told me that your new place was on the fifth floor and that the elevator didn’t work, I would have reconsidered helping you,” Jackie complained as she made her way up the steps for the third time that day.</p><p>“Yeah,” Rafael agreed with a huff, “I mean, I’m all for a good work out, but this is a little much.”</p><p>Bryce, who was several steps ahead of them, grumbled under his breath. He didn’t know the elevator was going to be out that day. It had worked the last two days when he and Keiki brought the furniture up to their brand new apartment. But of course, the day his friends could help with the last few boxes, it wasn’t working.</p><p>“Leave him alone,” Sienna reprimanded her roommates, wiping sweat off her forehead with the sleeve of her shirt. “It isn’t that bad. Plus, since there’s the four of us we’re already almost done!”</p><p>Jackie rolled her eyes as she shifted the box in her hand. “There would have been five if the elevator worked,” she griped. Elijah planned on helping but quickly said goodbye when they found out the elevator was down. Truthfully, he was more than happy to head back home and spend his day off in front of the TV.</p><p>“Look, guys,” Bryce began as he continued up the last leg of steps to his floor. “I’m sorry about the elevator. But I promise pizza and cold beer will be waiting for us as soon as we get everything in.”</p><p>There were several mumbled of “fine” and “there better be” from behind him, but no one else said a word until they made their way into Bryce’s new apartment. It was surprisingly modern given the older building they had moved into. Recently upgraded and remodeled. Bryce was just happy he found a two-bedroom, two-bath so close to Edenbrook.</p><p>“So where’s your sister?” Jackie asked, setting down her box on the floor next to the kitchen table, then taking one of the seats.</p><p>“School,” Bryce replied cooly from his place on the couch next to Sienna.</p><p>Rafael sat down at the table next to Jackie and took a drink from his water bottle. “And Casey?” he asked.</p><p>Bryce bristled at the sound of her name while Jackie and Sienna flashed each other a knowing look. Rafael noticed the shift in the air and looked around the room with a puzzled expression before speaking again. “What did I say?”</p><p>There was a beat of silence, then Sienna finally chimed in, “she’s at work.”</p><p>It wasn’t a lie, she really was working that morning. However, no one else wanted to mention the real reason why she didn’t ask off that day to help Bryce move. No one wanted to bring up the fight that Bryce and Casey had when Casey asked him if he wanted her to move in and instead of him agreeing immediately, he shrugged his shoulders and replied with “I mean, if you want.”</p><p>What Bryce meant to say was “yes, of course, please. There’s no one else I would rather be with than you.” But instead, he thought acting “cool” and “not clingy” as he claimed would be the better option. He wasn’t scared of the commitment, he welcomed it. But he was scared that maybe she would realize that he wasn't the one she wanted. That maybe she would realize it was a mistake.</p><p>That conversation which should have been simple - a no-brainer - turned into a massive snowball of a fight which resulted in Casey literally pushing Bryce out of her penthouse and into the cold Boston street to walk home by himself.</p><p>That was three weeks ago. Casey had barely said two words to him, only conversing when medically necessary for work. Keiki berated him, calling him a fool for letting her just go. He already knew that, and it didn’t help to hear it from his little sister <em>every day.</em></p><p>Bryce knew all her roommates would have heard about what happened. Judging by their silence and worried looks alone, they were painfully aware of how stupid he had been. What they probably didn’t know is how much he really wanted Casey to be there. How bad he wanted her to be the other person moving her things into this apartment. How he wanted to share the large king-size bed he had purchased specifically for her - for <em>them</em>.</p><p>“Hey,” Jackie said, breaking Bryce was his thoughts. Her voice was surprisingly soft and kind. “I think there are only a couple more boxes. Let’s go, guys.”</p><p>Without another word, the group stood up and made their way back down the five flights of stairs to grab the remaining boxes. They worked quietly, quickly finishing up within the hour. And true to his words, pizza and beer were waiting for them once they were done.</p><p>~~~~~</p><p>“How was school?” Bryce asked from the kitchen as he pulled plates and cups out of one box to put in one of the cabinets.</p><p>“Boooooring,” Keiki replied from the living room where she was working on her homework.</p><p>Bryce made his way out of the kitchen and plopped down on the couch next to his sister. “Well, what’s new there?” he said with a laugh. Keiki nudged her elbow into his side but smiled nonetheless.</p><p>“Were you able to get everything from the old place?” Keiki asked, her eyes never wavering from the math problem on the sheet in front of her.</p><p>“Yep! Turned in the keys before I left.”</p><p>Keiki nodded her head thoughtfully but didn’t verbally respond.</p><p>“I’m gonna go unpack my room. Don’t stay up too late, okay?” Bryce said as he stood from the couch. Keiki simply waved him off then stuck pulled her headphones over her ears.</p><p>Once Bryce was in his room, he looked around the space, taking in the many boxes, laundry baskets of clean clothes, and the large, unmade bed in the center. He let out a sigh, then walked over to one of the boxes he was pretty sure held all his sheets and blankets. He silently cursed himself when he remembered forgoing to label the boxes with their specific items, instead of just putting “B” and “bedroom” on it.</p><p>However, when he opened the box, he soon realized it was not his sheets, but instead the box that held the contents of his side table drawer. And there, at the very top, was a picture frame. And in that frame, was a photo of him and Casey at a small nightclub where they had their first “date,” if you could call it that.</p><p>Bryce just stood there for a while, staring down at the frame in his hand. He remembered the day he had removed it from his wall and threw it in his drawer, unable to look at it any longer. It was the day after Casey had asked to move in and he essentially said he didn’t care - idiot. He had tried to call her but she didn’t answer. All his texts were left on read and voicemails were not returned. After a while he had gotten angry and grabbed the frame and threw it in, snapping the drawer shut.</p><p>He wouldn’t admit it, but that was the first time he had cried since starting at Edenbrook. </p><p>Bryce let out a strangled sigh as he moved over to the nightstand and sat the photo down. If he wasn’t able to physically have her there, the photo would have to do. He continued looking through his boxes, putting things away, and eventually finding his bedding. As he looked down at the freshly made bed, he couldn’t help but feel the ache in his chest, realizing he would be sleeping alone in his new place.</p><p>“What are you looking at?”</p><p>Bryce’s heart stuttered in his chest and his eyes grew wide. He knew that voice. Longed to hear it for weeks. He quickly spun around and there she was, long, blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun and emerald colored eyes staring right at him.</p><p>“Casey?” he said almost breathlessly. “What… What are you doing here? How did you?”</p><p>“Sienna gave me the address and Keiki let me in,” she said matter of factly, like that was the answer he expected.</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“Don’t,” Casey said, effectively cutting him off. “I… I want to apologize.”</p><p>“Casey, you don’t-” she held up her hand, silencing him once again. He nodded wordlessly and let her continue. She shouldn’t be the one apologizing, it should be him. But he wasn’t going to mess this up by not keeping his big mouth shut.</p><p>“I’m sorry I tried to force you into something you clearly didn’t want. I thought that maybe this was the next step in our relationship and that you wanted me here, but I must have misread everything. I’m sorry for lashing out at you and breaking up with you.”</p><p>Bryce wanted to scream. He wanted to run over and grab her, take her in his arms, and never let her go. But he waited.</p><p>She continued. “I understand that I was moving too fast, but I’m here because… Because I still love you and want to be with you. Even if you’re not ready for this step. I just hope you feel the same way. If not then I’ll go and move on and leave you-”</p><p>It was Bryce’s turn to cut her off. And he did, by running to her, grabbing her, and pressing his lips to hers in a heated kiss. He was nervous, scared even, when her body went stiff in his arms. But then she was kissing him back. Her hands coming up to the nape of his neck, fingers sliding into perfectly styled hair. They kissed and kissed and soon his bedroom door was closed behind them. Clothes were shed on new flooring. Then a brand new, freshly made bed was broken in. They shared gentle touches and loving caresses, saying “I’m sorry” and “I missed you” between their love.</p><p>Minutes, hours, or maybe even days later - Bryce didn’t bother to keep track - the two laid between the sheets, wrapped in each other’s arms. Bryce’s hands ran up and down the smooth skin of her back and Casey’s fingers traced along his abdomen, mapping invisible constellations that only she could see.</p><p>“Casey,” Bryce said, his voice a barely above a hoarse whisper when he spoke. “I’m the one who should be saying sorry.”</p><p>Casey stopped her hand and looked up to gaze into her boyfriend’s eyes. “You don’t have to.”</p><p>“I do,” he began, “and I owe you an explanation.”</p><p>Bryce continued on, telling her how he wanted nothing more for her to move him but that he was just so scared. Scared of his feelings and what she might think if she knew how desperately he wanted her to move in. Scared that one day she would realize that it was a mistake - he was a mistake - and want to leave. Scared to be a regret.</p><p>When Bryce finished spilling his heart out, there was silence. He was looking at the ceiling, unable to meet her eyes. He knew that the moment they did, the tear would come. He wasn’t ready for that yet.</p><p>But then Casey had to go and grip his chin. The pads of her fingers were gentle, feather-like, as they tilting his face down. And he was right, the brim of his eyes filled with wet which, surprisingly, matched hers, as well.</p><p>“Bryce Lahela,” she said, her voice stern but still so full of adoration that Bryce wanted to look away. But he didn’t. “I would <em>never </em>regret you. I would <em>never </em>call you a mistake. I <em>love </em>you and will be here for you for as long as you want me.”</p><p>Bryce couldn’t speak, instead, he leaned down and met her lips with his again. He kissed her with fervor, stealing the air from her lungs as his mouth devoured hers in a searing kiss that left them both dizzy.</p><p>“I’m such an idiot,” he admitted once they pulled away for air.</p><p>Casey laughed. “Yeah, you kind of are.” Her eyes wandered past him and landed on the nightstand next to the bed. She smiled. “I love that picture of us.”</p><p>Bryce turned his head and stared at the photo of them he had placed earlier in the night. “You do?” He asked.</p><p>Casey nodded her head. “Very much. That was the day I started to fall for you,” she admitted, her eyes gleaming with the memory.</p><p>Bryce smiled. “You mean it wasn’t when we made out in the supply closet our first day?” he joked. Casey pinched his side, causing him to yelp and retaliate with dozens of kisses over her face, neck, and chest until she was effectively out of breath.</p><p>After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Bryce turned his body so they were face-to-face in the massive bed. He inhaled deeply before opening his mouth to speak. “Say you’ll stay,” he said, his heart so full is strained desperately in his chest.</p><p>Her fingers deftly tucked back a few strands of loose hair from his face. “Forever,” she replied. “Always and forever.”</p><p>“I love you,” he promised before leaning in for a kiss. “I love you.” Another kiss. “I love you.” Another. “I love you.”</p><p>And he did.</p>
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